South Carolina · Fire Protection

Best colleges for Fire Protection in South Carolina

Ranked by graduates a year

Columbia College and Piedmont Technical College award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in South Carolina: 1 and 1 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 2 South Carolina colleges offer Fire Protection and award 2 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Fire Protection program focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, and firefighting. This program is ideal for individuals interested in preventing and…

Institutions
2
offering CIP 43.02
States offered
48
with a program page
Degrees / yr
2
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,986
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
35%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Fire Inspectors and Investigators
$64,610
BLS OEWS May 2025

2 institutions offering Fire Protection in South Carolina

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Columbia College
Columbia Private not-for-profit
—137%$23,986—
2Piedmont Technical College
Greenwood Public
—133%——

Colleges awarding the most Fire Protection degrees in South Carolina

Top 2 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Columbia College
Columbia Private not-for-profit
1Not reported
2Piedmont Technical College
Greenwood Public
1Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Fire Inspectors and Investigators (SOC 33-2021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+3.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$78,060
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningCritical ThinkingWritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoring

What Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn in South Carolina

Jobs in South Carolina
110
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$64,610
median $61,890
Best-paying metro
$64,490
Charleston-North Charleston, SC

Related careers

Firefighters
$43,900 avg · 7,780 jobs
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
$73,120 avg · 1,980 jobs
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
$70,880 avg · 1,450 jobs
Fire Inspectors and Investigators
$64,610 avg · 110 jobs
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists
—

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Fire Protection programs in South Carolina.

Which South Carolina colleges award the most Fire Protection degrees?+

Columbia College (1 graduate a year) and Piedmont Technical College (1 graduate a year) award the most Fire Protection degrees and certificates in South Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 2 South Carolina colleges offer Fire Protection.

How much do Fire Inspectors and Investigators earn in South Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Fire Inspectors and Investigators in South Carolina is $64,610 (median $61,890), across about 110 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Fire Protection program?+

The Fire Protection program focuses on equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed in the field of homeland security, law enforcement, and firefighting. This program is ideal for individuals interested in preventing and…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, critical thinking, writing, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Fire Inspectors and Investigators?+

The national job outlook is about +3.8% growth with around 1,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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